Rafah: Investment Minister Mohamed Farid affirmed that the ministry’s current strategy is centered on adopting realistic and actionable investment and trade policies to drive tangible change on the ground. He added that improving the investor experience, streamlining administrative procedures, and reducing human intervention remain top priorities to create a competitive business environment that supports the growth of local and foreign investments.
According to State Information Service Egypt, the remarks came during a meeting held on Thursday, May 21, 2026, between Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Investment and Foreign Trade Minister Mohamed Farid at the government headquarters in the New Capital to review a number of the ministry’s key files. In the meeting, Farid presented a comprehensive overview of the ministry’s recent activities, outlining the main pillars of its action plan submitted to the House of Representatives’ Economic Committee.
As part of efforts to strengthen international partnerships, the minister reviewed the outcomes of joint consultations with a high-level US delegation on the development of bilateral trade relations. He stressed Egypt’s aspiration to build a balanced and sustainable economic partnership by boosting Egyptian exports to the US market and attracting promising investments in clean energy, technology, advanced industries, and the local manufacturing of rare minerals to maximize added value.
Farid also highlighted the outcomes of discussions with the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), which focused on expanding joint financing programs and supporting export missions to open new markets for Egyptian products, in addition to strengthening regional industrial integration mechanisms and providing flexible financing solutions to ensure the flow of goods and services, contributing to higher merchandise exports.
On encouraging direct investment, the minister pointed to meetings with officials from DPI Egypt and Egypt Ventures to discuss expansion opportunities and new foreign direct investment flows into the local market. He noted that both sides agreed to hold specialized technical meetings to develop regulatory frameworks and support digital transformation, as well as data monitoring and analysis systems aimed at improving investment performance assessment and enhancing transparency.
Farid also reviewed areas of cooperation agreed upon with the executive vice president of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), noting that the ministry is seeking to activate an initiative positioning Egypt as a regional re-export hub by leveraging its ports network and free zones. Discussions also covered launching a joint program to accredit export trading companies to facilitate the movement of goods under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), in addition to expanding local currency settlements to ease trade transactions.
On the domestic front, the Minister addressed efforts to improve services provided at investor service centers, highlighting the launch of a specialized training program titled ‘Investor Services Skills and the Art of Negotiation and Persuasion.’ The program is organized by the Foreign Trade Training Center, the ministry’s training arm, in cooperation with the Training Academy of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones, as part of efforts to qualify human resources and unify the work of affiliated entities to facilitate procedures for the business community and investors.